[ntab Configuration]
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In 2018, Lenovo released the first Legion Y7000 budget gaming laptop, and the current PG0 sub-version is its 2019 update. Since its initial launch, the Y7000 has become a popular model among budget gamers, because, despite its low price, its specifications and cooling capabilities are similar to that of more expensive laptops. The version reviewed here comes with an Intel 9th generation i7 processor and a mid-range NVIDIA graphics card. It is important to note that the Y7000 is only available in select regions worldwide. The newer version with Intel 9th generation is currently only available in Eastern Europe and Asia, while the older version with Intel 8th generation is still available in the United States. Lenovo will likely stick to the Y545 for the United States market, which is very similar to the Y7000.
In the United States, the laptop starts at $800 for the cheapest i5 configuration and can go as high as $1300. Other regions should have a similar pricing scheme.
Configuration specifications
| Display | 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz, Matte, IPS-type AUO B156HAN02.1 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H |
| Memory | 16GB DDR4 2667 Mhz (2 x 8GB) |
| Video card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 (TU117M) |
| Wireless card | Intel Wireless-AC 9560 802.11ac |
| Storage | WD 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD |
| Battery | 52.5 WHr (52 WHr usable) |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro |
| Full specifications here | |
A local retailer provided the unit, and the machine was used as Lenovo delivers it. No enhancements or changes were done to the laptop except for installing the operating system.
[ntab Build quality]
Physical size
| Width: | 362 mm / 14.25 inches |
| Depth: | 267 mm / 10.51 inches |
| Height: | Front: 24.5 mm / 0.96 inch Rear: 26 mm / 1.02 inches |
| Laptop weight: | 2.245 kg / 4.94 lbs |
| Charger weight: | 0.675 kg / 1.48 lbs |
| Laptop + charger weight: | 2.920 kg / 6.43 lbs |
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The Y7000 is the more budget-friendly version of Lenovo’s Legion Y540. Consequently, the chassis quality of the Y7000 2019 PG0 is very similar to that of the Y540. Like the Y540, the primary build material is hard plastic, which gives the laptop sturdiness and very little flex. Surprisingly, the display lid seems to have even less flex than that of the more expensive Y540-15.
Lifting and closing the display lid with one hand is easy. Despite its thinness, the screen lid is rather sturdy and light, which improves handling while opening and tilting the display. The back of the screen has an illuminated Legion logo that can be disabled by pressing the Fn key + L.
The overall laptop design is pleasant and does not scream “gaming”, which is a feature often requested by those who use their laptop in a professional environment. The back of the display lid has brushed aluminium finish, which gives the laptop a premium-quality feel. The palm-rest and area around the keyboard have a smooth plastic finish, like that of expensive gaming mice, which again confers a premium feel.
For this price range, the only negative aspect of the Y7000’s design is the small touchpad. However, despite its size, the touchpad is still responsive, and the buttons have a grip-like finish. The palm rest also provides ample space even for big hands.
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Lenovo’s Thinkpad keyboards are considered among the best on the market, and Lenovo’s gaming laptops seem to borrow some technology from the Thinkpad line. The Y7000’s keyboard is responsive, requires little pressing force and the keys have a short travel time. The keyboard backlit comes only in red, and adjusting its brightness is done by pressing the Fn+Space keys. Even on maximum brightness, the keyboard illumination does not put any strain on the eyes.
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Unfortunately, the keyboard also has some noticeable drawbacks, especially in its implementation of the numeric keypad area. Of all the laptops with a Numpad tested so far, the Y7000 has the worst version. For some reason, Lenovo decided to swap many of the essential keys. For example, the “Num Lock” key is where the “0” (zero) should be and the “/” (forward-slash, divide) key is on the top right corner where the “-” (minus) key should be. Moreover, some dedicated keys which are generally useful for programmers are entirely removed, these include the “Page Up”, “Page Down”, “Home” and “End” keys. To use “Page Down”, the user has to press the “Arrow down” key + “Fn”.
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When it comes to budget laptops, manufacturers often cut corners to improve their margin. In the case of the Y7000, Lenovo decided to sacrifice its webcam quality, which is terrible by any standards. Everything is blurry, the colours are dark, and it is placed at the bottom of the display (nose-cam).
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The microphone array does an excellent job and captures even far away sounds with decent quality. On playback, all recordings sound clean and crisp.
[ntab Disassembly]
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At first sight, it seems that access to the laptop’s internals is relatively easy. However, after removing the eleven Philips head screws, the back panel will not merely slide or allow itself to be lifted out. It appears that the back panel is held in place by several additional plastic clips on its sides. To properly remove the back cover it is necessary to use a prying tool or a plastic card, thin enough to get into the space between the back cover and edges of the chassis. The prying tool will act as a lever, and with enough force, the back panel will slowly lift itself. Every few cm/inches of the back panel need to be raised through this method until the entire back cover will come off.
The best place to start lifting the back panel is about mid-way on the lateral sides of the chassis, which is the place farthest away from the plastic clips.
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With the bottom cover removed, the laptop presents a cooling system that rivals many high-end machines, plus a plethora of upgrade options.
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There is:
- one M.2 SSD slot;
- two RAM slots (the slots are protected by an aluminium sheet, both of them are occupied);
- one 2.5-inch storage bay;
- a PCIe slot for the Wi-Fi card;
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| Legion Y7000 storage options | Legion Y7000 2.5 inch adapter |
The 2.5″ storage drive connects to the motherboard with a special SATA adapter included in the laptop box. The adapter itself is a ribbon cable that requires special care when handling. The ribbon cable connects to the motherboard through a small socket next to the 2.5-inch storage bay.
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The RAM is covered by an aluminium plate, which needs to be lifted with a prying tool to gain access to the RAM slots.
[ntab Ports]
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In addition to the ports usually found on laptops in this price range, the Lenovo Legion Y7000 also includes a USB-C 3.1 port, which helps speed up charging and data transfers with modern smartphones. The mini-DisplayPort and HDMI ports are another welcomed addition that enables a dual monitor setup for productivity and streaming. The ports are distributed following gamer needs, having one USB port on the right side for the external mouse and most of the remaining ports in the back of the laptop.
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There is:
- one RJ45 LAN connector;
- three USB 3.1 Gen 1;
- one USB-C 3.1 Gen 1;
- one mini DisplayPort 1.2;
- one HDMI 2.0 port;
- a standard 3.5mm jack combo for microphone and headphones or speakers;
- one Kensington lock
- a DC-in power connector;
Considering this is a gaming laptop, an external mouse, a keyboard and a USB flash drive can quickly fill up three USB ports. Of course, the port limitation can be resolved using a USB port hub.
[ntab Display]
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The display model in this unit is the AUO B156HAN02.1, which is the same display used by the 2019 Acer Nitro 5. Unfortunately, it is a mediocre IPS-level panel with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. Its brightness can reach a maximum value of around 250 nits. The colour space barely reaches 60% sRGB colour. It also has some backlit bleed, which is to be expected for laptops within this budget. On the positive side, it has almost perfect viewing angles and has a matte coating that enables it to be used outdoor to some degree, preferably in the shade.
Unfortunately, due to the quality of the display, photo editing or any other activity that requires colour accuracy is not recommended on this laptop.
Here is a link to the calibrated display profile of the reviewed unit. Because each display is unique, this profile will not perfectly match other displays of the same model. Still, using this profile should give better overall colours.
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[ntab Benchmarks]
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SCORE |
3725 |
|---|---|
| Graphics score | 3471 |
| CPU score | 6386 |
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SCORE |
8019 |
|---|---|
| Graphics score | 8913 |
| Physics score | 15460 |
| Combined score | 3242 |
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SCORE |
25231 |
|---|---|
| Graphics score | 30149 |
| Physics score | 13832 |
| Combined score | 25574 |
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SCORE |
27913 |
|---|---|
| Graphics score | 51627 |
| Physics score | 10705 |
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SCORE |
5452 |
|---|---|
| Average frame rate | 118.86 fps |
| Target frame rate | 109.00 fps |
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SCORE |
3405 |
|---|---|
| Average frame rate | 74.24 fps |
| Target frame rate | 88.90 fps |
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SCORE |
1076 |
|---|---|
| Average frame rate | 23.47 fps |
| Target frame rate | 109.00 fps |
| Single-core score | Multi-core score |
| 5021 | 20475 |
| Single-core score | Multi-core score |
| 183 | 1200 |
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PCMark 10
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Adobe Premiere 2019 benchmark
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Blender benchmark
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RESULTS (1080P EXTREME)
SUPERPOSITION
BENCHMARK
1839
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RESULTS (1080P HIGH)
SUPERPOSITION
BENCHMARK
4890
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SPECviewperf 13
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Crystal Disk Mark
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[ntab Gaming benchmarks]
The reviewed model performed flawlessly in all gaming benchmarks. The fast SSD storage made the games load fast, the processor showed no signs of throttling or overheating, and the games played smoothly with no stuttering. Gaming-wise the only part that is slowing down this laptop is the video card, but unfortunately at this price point, it is hard to find a laptop with a better video card. The dual-channel memory and the ample amount of video memory enables most games to run on maximum graphical quality.
| High preset | 34.3 FPS | 61.0 FPS | 56.8 FPS |
| Epic preset | 50.4 FPS | 77.7 FPS | 61.3 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 40.2 FPS | 102.5 FPS | 64.5 FPS |
| Ultra High preset | 21.7 FPS | 48.0 FPS | 28.7 FPS |
| High preset | 77.5 FPS | 229.9 FPS | 152.3 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 1.9 FPS | 163.9 FPS | 90.8 FPS |
| High preset | 70.9 FPS | 173.1 FPS | 139.2 FPS |
| Epic preset | 47.3 FPS | 100.0 FPS | 82.0 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 13.8 FPS | 93.9 FPS | 62.5 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 27.4 FPS | 90.2 FPS | 68.2 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 23.4 FPS | 45.0 FPS | 40.0 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 44.3 FPS | 56.8 FPS | 50.2 FPS |
| Ultra preset | 20.5 FPS | 30.7 FPS | 26.2 FPS |
[ntab Temperatures]
All temperature measurements were performed at an ambient temperature of 27° C (81° F).
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The cooling system has two fans, each taking in air from the sides of the laptop and blowing it through the back. As a positive remark, there is no exhaust vent on the right side of the laptop, where usually the mouse is placed. There are three heat pipes in total, with one being shared between the processor and the video card. The processor heatsink extends over the VRM, improving long term reliability. Even the M.2 PCIe SSD has a thermal pad attached to it, which helps maintain high read/write speeds under heavy load.
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Under heavy load, only the middle area of the keyboard, the one close to the “U” key, gets hot. Coincidentally, the middle of the keyboard is where both the processor and video card are positioned, so it makes sense for this area to get hotter. As the laptop warms up, the fans gradually increase their speed, but the noise remains within acceptable limits. The fan speed can be customized through the Lenovo Vantage app by choosing between “Performance”, “Balanced” or “Quiet”. When setting the fans to their highest speed, the laptop noise is still bearable even while gaming or under other heavy loads.
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The processor stress test involves running AIDA64 (CPU, FPU, cache) for 20 minutes. During this test, the processor reached an average temperature of 94 °C (201.2 °F) with a maximum of 97 °C on individual cores. Despite this high temperature, the laptop performed almost flawlessly with clock rates fluctuating between 2.9 GHz (minimum) and 3.4 GHz (average). Individual cores would occasionally even boost up to 4.0 GHz. Towards the end of the test, the temperature settled at around 94-95 °C and the frequency at around 3.1-3.5 GHz.
Remarkably, Lenovo allowed the processor to work at a PL2 limit (boost) of 107W and PL1 limit of 70W. Most competitors do not permit such high values even on their more expensive models. However, the cooling solution does not seem to keep up with the high PL limit. 95 °C is dangerously close to Intel’s maximum permitted operating temperature of 100 °C. At 98-99 °C Intel safeguards will kick and severely throttle the processor. Consequently, if the fans will start to clog with dust or in a warmer environment, it is likely that the laptop will hit 100 °C and begin to severely throttle. For this reason, it is highly recommended to apply better thermal paste on the processor for better long term performance and reliability.
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The video card (GPU) stress test involves running Unigine Superposition in a continues loop for 30-minute. Unsurprisingly, the Nvidia GTX 1650 temperatures were kept well under control. The video card reached a maximum temperature of 62 °C (143.6 °F) with its boost speed hovering between 1740-1755 MHz. Getting the right components for the designed cooling solution and price point is crucial for an excellent gaming experience. Some producers opt for powerful components coupled with an inadequate cooling solutions to reduce costs, leading to severe under-performing laptops, despite their excellent specifications.
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For the combined load test, the system was set to simultaneously run the AIDA64 CPU stress test and the Unigine Superposition GPU stress test for 30 minutes. Having an adequate cooling system leads to more aggressive boost clocks that improve the performance of the Y7000 even under heavy load. At the end of the test, the GPU reached a maximum of 72 °C (162 °F), and the CPU reached a peak of 97 °C (206.6 °F). The processor performed admirably, clocking 2.5 GHz at the minimum and 2.9 GHz on average, while often boosting itself up to 3.5-3.6 GHz.
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Finally, the system was put through a full stability test with AIDA (CPU, FPU, cache, System memory and GPU) to push the machine to its limits. The video card (GPU) temperature again stabilized at a comfortable 64 °C (147 °F), and the average processor speed was 3.2 GHz while maintaining a temperature of 90-93 °C. The minimum frequency achieved by the processor was 2.8 GHz, with a maximum of 3.8 GHz-4 GHz, which lasted about 2 seconds.
Overall, the laptop uses its components to their full potential, having excellent clock rates and boost speeds. However, the cooling solution does not seem to keep up with the processor’s heat dissipation, often spiking to over 95 °C (205 °F) under heavy load. With some undervolting and better thermal compound on the processor (CPU), the Legion Y7000 can be a reliable, high performing gaming machine. Probably one of the best in its class.
[ntab Noise]
Under full load, the laptop reaches a noise level of 41-42 dB near the fan exhaust (about 10 cm away from it), which is pretty good for a gaming laptop. While idle, the noise remains close to the room’s ambient level of 24-26 dB. Since the GTX 1650 is not a high-end video card, it has low heat emissions, and the fans do not need to run very fast while gaming, leading to moderate noise levels. The only time when the fans start to ramp up and become load is in processor-intensive games, like The Witcher 3 Novigrad test (an almost 30-minute test).
The fan speed can be customized through the Lenovo Vantage app – more on it in the Software tab.
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[ntab Sound quality]
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The Y7000 has the best speakers out of all the budget gaming laptops reviewed so far. In general, budget laptops have low-quality audio solutions. Thus, the Harman Kardon speakers of the LenovoY7000 PG0 are a welcomed surprise. The overall sound quality is pleasant without notable problems. The highs are not disturbing, and the mid frequencies are crisp and clear. The bass is not very powerful, nor is it completely lacking. Despite these improvements, the laptop still lacks the power and quality of premium laptops. The position of the speakers is not perfect, but it can be worse. The speakers fire towards the user from the bottom of the laptop and use the laptop’s resting surface to bounce the sound towards the user. Fortunately, the speakers are mounted such that they do not distort the audio regardless of the laptop’s resting surface.
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[ntab Battery life]
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Since most laptops are used on battery for mundane office activities and web browsing, the laptop was tested using a simulated continuous web browsing session over WiFi. The session involved browsing emails/news, social media and multimedia websites, similar to the behavior of an average user.
The level of brightness was set according to visibility and usability. At 50% brightness (maximum is 250 nits) the laptop provided an enjoyable viewing experience. The sound volume was also set at 50%.
Despite having a battery officially rated at 52.5 WHr, the laptop reported a maximum charge capacity of 52.2 WHr. With its 52.2 Whr battery, the laptop lasted just 4 hours and 5 minutes. However, with lower brightness settings, it should get more battery life.
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| Lenovo Legion Y7000 battery specifications | Lenovo Legion Y7000 charger |
Charging the laptop from 5% to 100% took almost 2 hours and 10 minutes with the 170W power adapter included in the box.
[ntab Software]
The laptop was provided without an operating system, so Windows was installed by the Noteb review team. On Lenovo’s website, there are several applications available for download, but only two are worth mentioning.
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The first one is Lenovo Nerve Center, an app that can manage network traffic (like QoS) or prevent keyboard or audio inputs by mistake. Not all of its features may be available yet on the Y7000, but on a similarly configured Lenovo Legion Y540, this app can control fans, keys and audio settings.
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Lenovo Vantage is an application that can update drivers, run diagnostics, request help from support and help users discover other Lenovo apps. It can also be used to adjust fan speed for better thermals or lower noise emissions. There is also a switch for Hybrid mode (switchable graphics) and other useful shortcuts to many Windows settings.
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Through the Lenovo Vantage application, it is also possible to:
- Enable rapid charge that charges the battery at a much faster rate than usual.
- Enable battery conservation mode that forces the battery to charge only up to 55-60% to reduce wear and increase battery lifespan.
- Switch USB charging (charging other devices) on and off.
- Change Audio Smart settings to enable Dolby Audio.
- Change camera and display settings.
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[ntab Conclusion]
Pros:
- Plenty of options for future upgrades
- Palm rest surface that is not a fingerprint magnet
- High boost clocks while gaming
- No noticeable chassis flex
- Decent audio system
- Relatively silent (for a gaming laptop)
- Nice esthetics
- High-speed M.2 PCIe storage device (up to 3.5 GB/s sequential read and 2.5 GB/s write)
- Adequate cooling system (VRM and NVMe drive are cooled and have thermal pads)
Cons:
- Switchable graphics is disabled by default. Unless it is enabled from BIOS or through the Lenovo Vantage app, battery life will be under 3 hours.
- Poor Numpad implementation.
- Low colour coverage display (slightly under 60% sRGB).
- The keyboard’s backlit colour comes only in red with no option to change.
- Opening the backpanel to service the laptop is not very easy.
- Terrible webcam quality.
For $1100, the Lenovo Legion Y7000 PG0 is a fully capable gaming laptop. Based on previous Lenovo releases, it is likely that more affordable configurations (under $1000) of this 2019 version will be released soon. With high performing components, plenty of fast storage and 16GB of memory, the Legion is enough for most 2019 games. As a budget machine, some trade-offs had to be made, and unfortunately, the poor display does not recommend the Y7000 for content creation. Overall the Lenovo Legion Y7000 PG0 is a sleek and fast machine, a beast in a jungle of angry kittens.
[ntab Buy]
Currently, there is no indication that Lenovo will release the Y7000 SE/PG0 in the United States any time soon. A likely reason is that the Y540-15 has the same chassis and similar specifications. However, if you find this review and the noteb.com search engine helpful, please consider buying your future Lenovo Legion laptop through one of the links included below. Thank you!
Lenovo.com
Legion Y540-15″ – Up to: i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 1024 GB SSD, 15.6″ FHD 144Hz display, NVIDIA RTX 2060
Legion Y540-17″ – Up to: i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 1024 GB SSD, 17.3″ FHD 144Hz display, NVIDIA RTX 2060
Legion Y740-15″ – Up to: i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 1024 GB SSD, 15.6″ FHD 144Hz HDR display, NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q
Legion Y740-17″ – Up to: i7-9750H, 32GB RAM, 1024 GB SSD, 17.3″ FHD 144Hz HDR display, NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q
Amazon
Legion Y540-15″ – i7-9750H, 8GB RAM, 512 GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
Legion Y7000 (2018) – i5-8300H, 16GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Legion Y7000 (2018) – i7-8750H, 16GB RAM, 256 GB SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
Walmart
Legion Y540-15″ – i5-9300H, 16GB RAM,256 SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
Legion Y7000 (2018) – i7-8750H, 8GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
BHP
Legion Y540-15″ – i7-9750H, 16GB RAM, 1024 GB SSD, GeForce RTX 2060
Legion Y7000 (2018) – i7-8750H, 16GB RAM, 256 GB SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
Costco
Legion Y545-15″ – i7-9750H, 16GB RAM, 512 GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce 1660 Ti
[ntab More Pictures]
[ntab Videos]
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